Fresh Goods Friday 722: The Autumn’s Done Come Edition

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In case you missed the memo, it is now officially autumn. And yes, autumn does not get a capital letter. Even though it is every right-minded person’s favourite season. That’s just how it is.

We don’t make the rules. We just enforce them.

On with the Fresh Goods!

All his songs sound the same. Thankfully.

Boardman MTR 9.0

Technically you can’t buy this bike yet but it should be available very, very soon. In our previous Boardman MTR review from a year or so ago we generally really liked the bike but we did comment: “It’s only really the relatively limited dropper insertion and pretty mediocre standover that limit the bike’s radness”. And this new MTR appears to addressed both of these issues. Gone is the super kinked seat tube. Gone is the humpback top tube. Other changes include a slight reduction in suspension travel (to 130mm at either end) and a pretty comprehensive overhaul of the geometry. Steeper seat angle and longer reach are the two standout changes. This is the top 9.0 model. There will also be MTR models starting from an impressive £1,300. Our First Ride Review will hopefully be up on the site at end of next week.

Fresh Goods Friday 722: D’Movie

Annnd… ROLLING!

Conker

Autumn is here. Okay, so this still-in-its-wrapper conker only hit the deck due to some high winds that broke it off its anchor. But still. We had to break out the Briskers the other morning too.

ODI Vanquish D30 Grip

  • Price: £39.99
  • From: Freewheel
  • SQUIRREL_TEXT_13116067

Knee pads for the hands? Using D30 “specifically designed to reduce vibration and shock on bike grips”. The tread pattern of the grip is pretty techno also; “Angled waffle pattern with oversized top rib that matches finger articulation points for control … waffle pattern coupled with convex traction pads for superior comfort and control”. Double reinforced ends are a nice touch to help keep these not-cheap grips from damage as long as possible. Also available in black and grey.

Canyon Disruptr Helmet

  • Price: £289.00
  • From: Canyon
With the blast shield down, I can’t even see! How am I supposed to fight?

This different-looking helmet is the Canyon Disruptr, featuring a new strap technology called Highbar. Although it initially looks like an ice hockey lid (or Geordi Le Forge’s glasses) the strap hinges down under the chin, where a twist-buckle tightens it in place. And that’s it. The lock on the strap stops it from going further back. The claimed advantages are that it’s simpler and quicker to put on, even one handed, the strap being plastic doesn’t get caked in salt and Canyon even claims that its quieter (and therefore faster) with no loose strap ends flapping around. Review coming soon!

DT Swiss GRC1400 Gravel Wheels

  • Price: Front £824.99, Rear £1124.99
  • From: Freewheel
  • SQUIRREL_TEXT_13116069

“Optimised for high speed on gravel routes… and beyond!” so says the sales blurb. These wheels come in two different depths, 30mm and 50mm and the internal width is 24mm, which is wide for a gravel wheel, offering good support for 40mm tyres. The deeper 50mm rims flare out dramatically into a fat, aero shape in the centre of the rim, narrowing to a tyre-friendly width at the edge which is said to improve performance in side winds. The carbon rims are left raw and unpainted out of the mould to keep the weight down. Hubs are DT Swiss 240s with DT Aero Comp spokes and the all-up weight of the 50mm versions is 1643g. 

Alpkit Gravitas Jacket

  • Price: £199.99
  • From: Alpkit

The Gravitas is so ultralight it’s transparent. That ‘pattern’ you can see in the material is actually the shirt underneath (more about the shirt shortly). Designed as a multi-activity sorta garment for activities scuh as (shudder) running. 3-layer construction with a 10-denier recycled outer fabric. Weighs around 200g depending on size. Classic stats: 20K HH, 20K MVTR. Say yes to hoods. Especially hoods with bend-able peaks and cinch retainment should you need to reduce the ‘parachute braking’ effect. Also available in grey and dark/royal blue.

Alpkit Floe Trouser

More blueness for Alpkit. Made from 4-way stretchy double weave water-resistant softshell. Which is a lighter weight fabric than you may expect; these are more like ‘chilly weather’ kecks than wintery one. Wat else? Vents. Pocktes. Cinch waist adjust. Press stud zip fly. Articulated knees with room for knee pads. Elasticated ankles to keep drivetrain stain at bay as well as keep out drafts and excess amounts of roost. Available in multiple leg lengths, which is nice. Also available in boring black.

Alpkit Kanza Gravel Shirt

The aforementioned shirt. Presumably named after the Dirty Kanza gravel event, this is a shirt designed for gravel riding. Which should mean it’s also great for commuting and camping. Which is where gravel apparel very much gains its point/VFM in our experience! Cycling-specific fit with articulated shoulders, a drop hem and side splits. Fast-drying, sweat-wicking, UPF 50+, contains something called ‘Polygiene’: “odour control allows minimal washing on multi-day trips.” Or when commuting and camping.

Schwalbe Albert Radial Tyre

New tyre tread. New tyre construction. Radial construction basically means that the threads of the carcass material don’t cross each at 45° (as with regular bike tyres). Despite being called ‘Radial’, technically they’re aren’t radial because the casing still uses threaded material that criss-crosses over each other but it criss-crosses at a much shallower angle than 45°. Apparently. We’re not sure what angle this is currently. Maybe we’ve missed something in the info? Why? Claims of more contact patch – and more damping – for the same pressure. Aside from the radial-ness, the Albert Gravity is a brand new tread pattern. And yep, it’s one of those 3-2-3 Assegai-ish affairs. In form over function news, we’re really digging the new aesthetic/logo/font of Schwalbe tyres.

Schwalbe Drinking Vessels

Speaking of Schwalbe’s new aesthetic. Very pale blue is the new black. We like. The mug is especially lovely. Shallow? Us? You knows it.

Wolf Tooth Bike Tire Pressure Calculator

Tyre pressure advice software is not a new thing. We vaguely remember Schwalbe and TyreWiz (maybe?) doing something like this. But this new app from Wolf Tooth is pretty good actually. It’s clear, quick and fairly logically laid out. And best of all it spits out pressure advice that is definitely in the ballpark of where you should start from. NB: don’t forget to add your bike’s weight to your own in the ‘Weight’ entry field!

Renogy Boot Dryer

Boot dryers. They’re always not quite as good as you hope them to be. Benji has acquired this Renogy dryer as it’s apparently a little bit less fragile and prone to failure compared to other similarly affordable dryers. The timer delay is a nice touch; putting on toasty warm shoes just as you head out on your morning constitutional is a delight.

502 Club Raffle Winner!

Congratulations to Daniel Chapman! He’s the lucky winner of a complete set of Magura MT7 Pro disc brakes and rotors from our recent 502 Club Raffle. Keep an eye out on the homepage for the next 502 Club Raffle which should kick-off any day now.

Tom and Jerry CheeseGummy

I [Benji] didn’t really think these ‘sweets’ would actually taste of cheese. I just thought they’d be cheese shaped. I was wrong. Still, they were surprisingly palatable. Int cheese brilliant?

Future Days: Krautrock and the Building of Modern Germany by David Stubbs

  • Price: £14.99
  • From: Faber

Gott in Himmel! Yet more music history literature. There’s more to life than mountain biking and music (or is there?).

Pact Coffee: “Explore a rotation of the world’s best, award-winning speciality coffees, grown ethically and delivered fresh to your door from Pact Coffee. *Free gift only available for new Pact customers.”

Instagram Readers Ride of the Week

  • Price: using #stwreadersrides hashtag
  • FromInstagram
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jon Vernon (@onlyindevon)

Whether you’ve got a special new bike or just a bike that’s special to you, this is how you get to tell everyone about it! You can either tag the bike pic with #stwreadersrides on Instagram or you can send us your submissions via this form.

What is Fresh Goods Friday?

It’s Singletrack’s long running, weekly roundup of all of the new products that have been sent in to the magazine.

Where do all of the goods come from?

They’re sent in by bike companies and marketing agencies

What happens to all of the products?

They’re featured and then some are reviewed down the line in either Singletrack Magazine or in online reviews and photoshoots.

What happens to them when you’ve finished with them?

They’re usually sent back after review, or kept on long-term test bikes. But no one ever asks for shorts and shoes back. Trust us on that. Once we were asked to return some brake pads.

I’m a company making the next big thing. How much does it cost to feature in FGF?

Nothing. Nil. Zero. Diddlysquat. Sod all. Just send all ‘next big things’ to us at – Fresh Goods Friday, Singletrack Magazine, Lockside Mill, Dale Street, Todmorden. OL14 5PX. Please note that if you require the products back after they have featured then you are responsible for arranging collection at your cost. While it is our policy to feature everything we receive in FGF if we decide your product is not suitable for publication we won’t do it. Publication is at our discretion. Whether a product goes on for publication as a review is at editorial discretion. Beer, coffee & spirits will ALWAYS be tested.

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

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Home Forums Fresh Goods Friday 722: The Autumn’s Done Come Edition

Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)
  • Fresh Goods Friday 722: The Autumn’s Done Come Edition
  • danposs86
    Full Member

    With helmets like that, I should be able to bin my beard trimmer!

    1
    Harry_the_Spider
    Full Member

    Gravel specific shirt?

    Is that like a Vimto specific glass?

    3
    Mark
    Full Member

    You don’t have a Vimto glass?

    Harry_the_Spider
    Full Member

    I’m sure someone will sell me one for £19.99.

    1
    P20
    Full Member

    That Boardman looks great for the money

    nickc
    Full Member

    That Boardman does look the part for sure

    1
    aide
    Full Member

    Nice star wars reference….

    1
    jeffl
    Free Member

    How is Autumn anyone’s favourite season for riding?

    It gets colder, wetter and darker. Clearly the correct order (best to worse) is Summer, Spring, Autumn Winter.

    ossify
    Full Member

    Cheese flavoured gummy sweets. Oh, to be alive at a time like this.

    I want some!

    IHN
    Full Member

    . Benji has acquired this Renogy dryer as it’s apparently a little bit less fragile and prone to failure compared to other similarly affordable dryers.

    Well, given Benji thinks there’s such a thing as a gravel specific shirt, maybe Benji is just an easy mark

    (And sorry Benji old chap, from experience, it’s just as fragile and prone to failure as the others)

    Ben_Haworth
    Full Member

    :-(

    bentudder
    Full Member

    On the plus side, our Renogy drier has motored through drying football, dinghy and mountain bike boots every week since I bought it for £12.99 – it seems to have got a bit spendier of late.

    Although the instruction to unplug it from the mains if it caught fire or started smoking was a bit unnerving at first.

    haydnw
    Full Member

    I concur about the Renogy. Mine started spontaneously collapsing about a week into ownership and has irritated me ever since.

    IHN
    Full Member

    MaxxDry FTW. Bit spendierer, but much betterer

    rootes1
    Full Member

    @Ben_Haworth if you are trying on clothing, would you be able to state what size you are wearing/testing – be useful to get an idea of fit etc.

     

    Mark
    Full Member

    BTW there were 5 other minor prize winners picked in the FGF video so it’s worth a watch :-)

    One of the ‘minor’ prizes was an Endura SingleTrack helmet. Others, Benji described as ‘prison shivs’.

    Ben_Haworth
    Full Member

    @rootes1 Will do. All the Alpkit stuff is Medium ?

    1
    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    We had to break out the Briskers the other morning too.

     

    Altura woolie gloves FTW in autumn.

     

    How is Autumn anyone’s favourite season for riding?

    Love the cold, clear air, that pine smell in the woods, the fungi getting going, the need to warm up with a proper brew, the colours of the mountains and woods and the light. Oh my word, the light quality.

    Love it.

     

    1
    oldfart
    Full Member

    IMG_20240913_133937475_HDR

    1
    oldfart
    Full Member

    Just enquiring, do only Instagram entries for readers rides get considered? Seems like it to me , I diligently filled out that form ages ago when I first got my Curtis. Checked every week since and all the winners have been from Instagram makes me wonder why I bothered.

    Obviously now I’ve had a mini rant I definitely won’t get in the club now ?

    tops5
    Free Member

    How can you crave attention that much and not be on Insta?  :)

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